This is the pea ‘Show Perfection’ To be honest I am not the best pea grower in the world, I tend to get rather dispirited once the peas get infected with powdery mildew. But as I have been asked to give a talk to the Hants D.A on peas in 2018 I thought I had better make the effort to grow some with the idea of putting a dish up at the Southern Branch Championships in July this year.

All the tendrils and any side shoots must be removed.

The object is to concentrate all the plants energy into a few pods of peas. Now because I have removed the tendrils the plant has no means of hanging onto the canes. So I tie the plants to the canes every six inches or so. This is a job you can’t leave for too long. I make sure I check them every day or so.

Of course growing peas for show can be quite difficult. That’s why it is a 20 point vegetable.

The seed I am using came from a packet that ace grower Bob Brown gave me back in 2009. I soaked them over night in a jar of water and then sowed them. I was must surprised when I had near 100% germination.

Once the plant reaches 3’ in height it will start to set flowers. Any that form more than 25 days before the show are picked off. It will take 21/25 days from flower set to full pods. Once the plant has set 5/6 sets of flowers the plant is stopped by pinching out the growing point thus concentration all the plants energy into those pods.

It is important that the peas are given plenty of water during this last month up to the show.

This attractive flower is on the mange tout pea ‘Yellow Podded’. I am growing these in a large tub up chicken wire.

And this is what they look like.

The early row of ‘Douce Provence’ is almost ready for picking. There is nothing better than fresh peas harvested first thing in the morning with the dew still on them. I tried a pod and they

really are one of the sweetest peas you will ever enjoy.

Another new one for me is ‘Rosakrone’ I am growing that one on the allotment and hope that it escapes the attention of the resident mice.

‘Rosakrone’ growing up pea sticks and sporting a very attractive flower.

I am growing two new leeks from seed this year. ‘Anglesey’ and this one for later cropping through the winter months. These will be lifted and transplanted in a couple of weeks.

Most days before leaving the allotment site I like to wander round and have a chat with the other allotmenteers. Jeanette on plot 6 was very pleased to come back from holiday and find that her mange tout peas were ready for picking. Along with the rhubarb and that Lollo Rosso lettuce she has the making of a fine meal.

One thing that wasn’t so good was to find that my neighbour’s tomatoes ‘Ferline’ were not looking too clever. The leaves were curling and the tomatoes were the wrong shape. I had a suspicion that some how they had got a bit of drift from a weed killer on them.

We later found out that one of the plot holders had washed out a watering can in our communal water butt after using it with the herbicide Round Up. Ann, had used that same butt to water her tomatoes.

In the cucumber house

This is ‘Carmen’ currently the top show cucumber.

As a bonus it is also a very tasty variety and a prolific producer. Rather like the peas they require regular tying into the canes. Pinch out all the tendrils and the side shoots. In fact I like to leave a few side shoots from which to take cuttings. Keep feeding once a week with Chempak No2 or an equivalent high nitrogen fertiliser.

Remember, cucumbers like it humid and a bit shady. So if you can, douse down the floor of the greenhouse and round the bottom of the pots with water every morning. I mention pots because I always grow by the ring culture method. This ensures I never lose a plant to stem rot caused by water collecting at the base of the stem.

In the polytunnel it was time to ring the changes. My first lot of calabrese had finished. I removed those and revitalised the soil with more compost and a sprinkle of Vitax Q4 at 4oz per square yard.

And within an hour the bed was replanted with more brassicas. On the left, ‘Tenderstem Broccoli’ and on the right ‘Raleigh’ cauliflowers.

And to practice what I preach the next generation of plants are being potted on from their seed trays.

I dibber a hole with my finger and hold the seedling by the leaf.

Then I back fill with a little compost ensuring there are no air gaps.

The brassicas will be quite happy to grow on in the pots for a few weeks.

I have very few show leeks this year due to problems with yellow streak virus infecting my stock. The ten plants I am left with don’t look too bad at all. They are making steady progress and it’s now time to change the pipe lagging collars up a size.

This larger collar will take the blanch up to 16”. As there is two inches of leek below soil level that will give me about 18” of blanch. They will be fine for the New Forest Show, as long as they put on a little more girth, which they should do.

That’s about it for this week. Just one reminder. In my part of the country it is very warm and dry. That means I am watering my exhibition potatoes growing in polybags every other day. You really can’t afford to let them go wanting moisture at this stage of their development.

Another article will be along in a week or so when we shall be sampling all those peas and hopefully some of the French beans.

John Trim